Changes in Soil Organic Carbon Stocks Due to Land Use Changes in the Extended São Francisco River Basin

Abstract

As the largest carbon reservoir in terrestrial ecosystems, soils play a critical role in food production, mitigation and adaption to climate change, and sustainability of agroecosystems. In this context, the aim of this study is to estimate variations in soil carbon stocks resulting from land use and management changes in different biomes that compose the Bacia Estendida do Rio São Francisco (BESF - Extended São Francisco River Basin), between 1985 and 2017. For this, remote sensing data and information from the IBGE agriculture and livestock census were used, in addition to emission factors to estimate soil organic carbon (SOC) changes. The results indicate that BESF had about 5.70 million ha degraded in the analyzed period, in addition to an increase of 0.72 Tg C year-1 in SOC stocks. The sub-medium São Francisco River basin recorded the highest SOC gain, with an increase of 0.54 Tg C ha-1; on the other hand, the sub-medium São Francisco River sub-basin had the greatest SOC losses, with an estimated reduction of 0.07 Tg C year-1. In short, this study provides important evidence on changes in SOC stocks in the region, emphasizing the importance of native vegetation conversion to agriculture and livestock systems under sustainable soil management for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and maintaining soil quality.